Karen's Niece
by BobWhite
Summary: Karen has a niece that comes to live with her after her mother tries to kill her.
1. Nadia Gordon

**Full Summary:**

Karen's niece comes to live with her and Lucas after getting out of the hospital. Her mother, Karen's sister, is in jail and the mystery as to why the girl has suddenly showed up in Tree Hill haunts all that are around her. Karen, being the helpful aunt that she is, tries to get Nadia to open up to her, even gives her a job at the Café. What happens when Nadia starts acting weird when around her new friends and classmates? Why is the FBI in Tree Hill? And how does Nadia land a spot on the cheerleading squad? Will Rachel spill Nadia's secret all over school?

**Nadia Gordon:**

Hi, my name is Nadia Gordon and I am seventeen-years-old. Eight months ago, my mother came home drunk and shot me in the back. I'm now going to live with my Aunt Karen and Cousin Lucas at their home in Tree Hill. Everything got turned around eight months ago but I'm slowly starting to turn my life around. I thought my days of dancing were over and that I would never be able to dance again. But moving to Tree Hill has started to change my mind. I've started to learn to live again, learned to love again, and learned to trust people all over again. The only problem was, was that Tree Hill was just getting over a tragedy of their own. Would I fit into their world now that I was the new girl in school? And how would my abilities as a dancer fit into this school and its cliques?

Those questions swam through my head as I sat on the bus headed for Tree Hill from Las Vegas, Nevada. My mother worked at a local casino and was (as far back as I can remember) always a drunk. She didn't seem to care what I did and she only seemed to care about me when sh was home. She was rarely home and I was mainly over at my friends house. At the age of seventeen, I worked three jobs; one was at the local teen club, teaching dance classes. The other two were at a diner, as a waitress and a hotel, as a maid. I knew what it was like trying to fend for myself and my friends always seemed to know I wanted to get out.

My bank account was in my name and nobody but me could get into it. My mother tried once, but she was thrown in jail when I realized that she had stolen my debit card. I had called the cops, knowing that they would soon pick her up. They found her at an ATM, trying to get money out of my account. They confiscated the card, arrested my mother and called me to come get her. I let her stay in jail that night and canceled the card so she couldn't use it again. As I sat on the bus, all my worldly possessions in the suitcases in the luggage compartment of the bus, I thought back to that day, the day I nearly lost my life and my ability to walk.

I had just come home from my job at the hotel, setting my backpack and purse in my room. My mom came home ten minutes later really drunk and with a gun. Apparently she had bought it for protection. Coolden had just left and was barely around the corner when he heard the sound of a gun going off. He slammed on his breaks, did a u-turn and was back at my house within ten seconds. My mother was gone and so was the gun. Coolden picked me up from where I was lying and rushed me to the hospital. He called the cops once at the hospital, but because he couldn't tell them much, nobody knew what happened until I woke up three months later. When I woke up, I told them what my mother did and she was arrested. The gun was never found. And I was told that my Aunt Karen was willing to take me in and I could get back to being a kid.

My mind drifted back from the memory of being shot to being on the bus, where I could see the nature scenes from the window as I took pictures of everything that I knew my friends would want. The last thing Coolden said to me before I left Las Vegas was that he would always be there for me. He had been paying for my cell phone since I had started working for him nearly a year ago. He told me that he would see me soon and that when he did come see me, that he would bring up my car, my dogs and some of my friends.

I was glad that I would have some of my family back, but not knowing how my Cousin Lucas would react to me moving in was a continuous nag on my mind. I so wanted to be liked by the family that my mother had cut out of her life after she had killed my father and gotten away with it. She just hadn't been able to get away with shooting me. My father hadn't been alive to tell them what she had done to him and I had been too young to tell them myself so my mother had gotten away with murder.


	2. Living In Tree Hill Part 1

**Living In Tree Hill Part I:**

**Aunt Karen's House:**

As I got out of the cab that had driven me to my aunt's house and paid him, I turned around to see her looking at me. Apparently Lucas was still at school and I would be bunking in the guest room. She had her daughter in her arms and was waiting for me. I walked up the drive and up to the porch. I set my luggage on the ground and she grabbed me in a hug. Tears were streaming down her face. We both knew it was a miracle that I was alive and walking. And we both knew that it was an even bigger miracle that I had been able to move here without my mother finding out. It's hard to believe that they were sisters and knew so little about each other.

She helped me with my luggage and we moved into the house. She showed me to the guest room, where I would be staying for the duration of high school. I would call Coolden later and tell him that I had arrived safely. He had told me that when I got settled to give him a call and he'd set up a job for me the next town over in one of his clubs. Karen helped me put my luggage in the room and then she sat down on the bed.

"So, I didn't know what color you liked, but this room was originally painted for Lily here and so if you want to, you can repaint it to the colors you want. Lucas will be home from school at 2:30 and you two can get yourself acquainted with."

"Thank you Aunt Karen. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't agreed to take me in. I know Coolden wanted to take me in but because he isn't a licensed Foster Parent, he would've had to wait a few months before I would have been allowed to live with him."

"Who's Coolden?"

"He was one of my bosses. I worked for him at his teen club, as a dance instructor. The other two jobs were a waitress at a local diner and a maid at one of the hotels. Coolden and I clicked because we both liked to dance and because he knew a lot about my kind of situation. His mom was a drunk too. He seemed to always want to help me out and even helped me get a cell phone which he pays for and helped me set up my own bank account, which I need to do as soon as possible here. I have all my money with me, in a cashiers check. Do you think we can go to a bank later on today or tomorrow?"

"Sure; this Coolden guy sounds very nice. Now, I need to get back to the Café. I take Lily in with me so you don't have to worry about taking care of her. I'll call Lucas and let him know you are here. You just unpack and get everything settled the way you like. Lucas might bring some of his friends over and his brother might come along as well. Don't be surprised if a bunch of kids show up, they'll probably want to meet you as well. Let me know if there is anything I can get you."

"Thank you. And Aunt Karen, I really mean it. Both for allowing me to move in, even after everything that has happened here with the school and all."

"You're very welcome. It was actually Lucas' and his friends' idea for you to move here. I had pitched it to Lucas while all his friends were here one night shortly after I told him that you were in the hospital. He immediately said that you should move in."

"Well, I'll be sure to thank him as well. I should probably get my things put away. Um, Coolden said he'd be up in a few months with the rest of my stuff that I left in his care, like my car and my dogs. He said he'd also bring some of my friends up with him if that is alright with you. Are you alright with my having dogs here? If not, I can tell Coolden to keep the dogs in LV for the time being until I graduated High School and head back for the college I've already been accepted to."

"No, the dogs will be welcome here. They'll have to stay in cages while everyone is away from the house but I don't see a reason as to why they wouldn't be allowed here. What kind of dogs do you have?"

"Um, I have four Malamute Huskies and two Basset Hounds. Is that okay?"

"We will have to get kennels for them and maybe put up a fence in the backyard but it should be okay. Are the dogs friendly?"

"Yes, they are very friendly."

"That's good. Well, I have to get going. See you later on tonight."

"Alright, see you later then."

Karen stood up and left for her Café with Lily in her arms. I started unpacking and putting my clothes in the drawers. I put my laptop and printer, stereo and camera on the desk. I pulled out my heavy book ends and put them on top of the dresser one at each end then started putting my books on the dresser. I would find a bookshelf later on. Once all my books were on the dresser, stacked on top of each other, I turned my attention to my music and movies that I had managed to collect over the years. I put my box of movies in the corner next to the dresser and left them alone. There were too many movies at the moment to deal with and I didn't want to take them out at the moment so I left them be. I stacked my CD cases on the floor next to the desk. With six giant CD cases [each holding 350 CD's] I didn't want to put them on the desk. Again, I would find book cases and shelves later on.

After everything of importance was put away, I started putting some of my posters on the wall. I had my own box of tacks so I used four each poster and by the time 13:30 (1:30 pm) rolled around, all posters were up and the room looked more like home. I had pulled the sheets and comforter off the bed and remade it with my own sheets and comforter and was working on arranging my pillows and a few of my stuffed animals when I heard the front door being opened. I left the room and went into the living room to see a bunch of kids staring at me. I nodded and one of them moved towards me. Within a matter of seconds he was hugging me like I was going to die any second. I figured that he must be Lucas and didn't stop him until he pulled away.

Talking:

"Hi, I'm Lucas and you must be Nadia. It's very nice to meet you. When mom told me you were in the hospital I tried picturing you. But I never really met you."

"That's okay and yes I'm your cousin. My mom tended to keep family relations out of the picture. I used to ask why I never got to see anyone but after months of trying to get her to tell me, I finally just gave up."

"What about your dad? Didn't he ever tell you what was going on?" _A__blonde__haired__girl__asked._

"And you guys are?"

"Oh sorry, I'm Peyton Sawyer; this is Tutor Girl otherwise known as Haley James, her boyfriend Nathan Scott, Lucas's girlfriend Brooke Davis, Mouth McFadden, and Skills Taylor. So what about your dad?"

"Nice to meet you all; my dad was killed when I was four, car accident. It's been just me and mom ever since."

"So any restrictions your doctors gave you, just so we know?"

"Just to take it easy for a while. Are there any book cases in this house? I need to put my movies and books on actual shelves."

"We'll have to buy some but that shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure the girls will be happy to help you shop for book cases. We can go right now if you want."

"Sorry, but I don't have any cash on me. All I have is a Cashiers Check that I need to put into a bank account as soon as possible."

"Well, how about tomorrow then? I'm sure we can head to the bank before we go shopping."

"Tomorrow sounds good. All I need to do now is set up internet on my laptop and we should be good. I have enough money to get my own internet so no one has to buy it for me."

"Oh, well, we already have internet here so if you have WiFi on your computer you should be good."

"I do actually."

"So what kind of movies do you have?" _Brooke__asked.__By__that__time__we__were__all__sitting__down__and__talking__just__to__be__talking._

"Depends on what you like. I've accumulated a big collection over the years. I always make sure I devoted at least two hundred dollars of my paychecks to entertainment, and that way my mom couldn't get ahold of my money."

"Two hundred on entertainment! You must have had one high paying job then."

"Actually it was three jobs. I worked at a local teen club, at a hotel as a maid and at a diner as a waitress. So I heard my moving in here was all your idea Lucas. I was supposed to thank you for that but we kind of got carried away in talking."

"You're welcome. Actually it was all of our idea. We figured you would need some family support after what you went through. So since my mom didn't really tell us why you were in the hospital, do you mind telling us? And why your mom didn't come with you."

"Not at all, but I don't want everyone at school talking about me."

"People are already talking about Lucas' cousin he never knew moving in with him. But don't worry, its friendly gossip, no on is making fun of you for moving here. They are all actually supportive at the moment." _Haley__mentioned._

"Good for it. Well here goes. My boss Coolden had just dropped me off from work cause my car was in the shop and my mom came home ten minutes later. Coolden always made sure I was safe at home before leaving but he didn't count on my mom coming home when she did. Luckily he was just down the road or I don't know what kind of condition I would be in right now. Anyway, my mom came home drunk as usual only this time she had a gun in her hand. Apparently she had bought it for protection. Against what, I'm not sure. I had just come out of my room after putting my backpack and purse on my bed when I bumped into her. By this time, we were both in the kitchen and while I was reaching for a glass to get something to drink, she aimed the gun at my back and pulled the trigger. After I hit the ground, she fled the house with the gun and the next thing I remember is being lifted by Coolden, then the Emergency Room, and then waking up three months later. My mother hadn't been arrested because no one knew what had happened. When I told the cops what had happened, they immediately found my mother and arrested her. The gun was never recovered. But knowing my mother, she probably threw it in a lake or sewer or something like that. Then the cops get a call from Aunt Karen and I'm packing up all my stuff into suitcases and duffel bags and am being put on a bus headed here. Then I'm here talking to you guys. That's basically what happened in a nutshell, well sort of."

"That was one long explanation. I hope you will feel comfortable here. And we'll make sure no one bothers you at school." _Nathan__said._

"Thanks, but I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself at school. Now all I got to do is get a ride over to the next town and talk to the local club manager and get my job back."

"Coolden has a club in the next town over?" _Mouth__asked._

"Yeah, he said he'd call them and tell them that they are to give me a job. He's the one that pays for my cell phone and even helped me get my own bank account in LV. He's the reason I haven't run away before when I was living with my mom."

"LV?" _Skills__asked._

"Las Vegas, Nevada. That's where I was born and raised. Lot's of people from there abbreviate it to LV because they don't want to get bombarded with questions of what living there feels like and stuff like that."

"Oh, well I guess that makes sense. So, who's up for some food? What do you like to eat Nadia? We can order in some food if you don't like to cook." _Lucas__stated._

"Cook, are you kidding me. When my mother would go on one of her drinking binges and I was home alone, I used to throw cooking parties with my friends. We ended up entering a cooking contest one year in high school and we all won the prize since we all made the meal up."

"Well, then, what would you like to cook?"

"Depends on what you do or don't have. I substitute ingredients all the time and it never seems to make a difference to anyone that eats the food I make. Of course, before my mom came back, and I could always time it to the exact hour, my friends and I would clean up and make the house look like it did before my mom left."

"Well, then lets get cooking."

"Yes, lets."

Cooking:

"So what do you want to make first? The entrée, the main course or the dessert?"

"I think we should start on the dessert if it takes long. And we can always go shopping for food before we all cook or send someone to shop with a list of goods."

"Well that sounds good. I've collected recipes off the internet that I've made before and my friends used to love eating it. The Portuguese Flat Chicken takes at least 40 minutes to bake but not that long to make. That'll be the entrée. We can make the Squash Soup as our main course with some Injera bread. As a side dish, we can make some Mixed Bean Salad. And as a desert we can make the Diwali Apple Shake which can also serve as our drink for the night, but we are going to have to go shopping for most of the ingredients. I've learned that I can't substitute any of the Diwali ingredients for American ingredients; it doesn't turn out as good as using the right stuff. So who wants to go shopping while we get started cooking?" _Everyone__was__looking__at__me__like__I__had__just__slapped__them.__They__didn__'__t__know__that__I__would__be__such__a__good__cook._

"My mom is going to love you." _Lucas__said._

"She already does. Is it because I know how to cook or something like that?"

"Karen ended up going to Italy to take part in a cooking class, she cooks at her Café. Speaking of which, I have to go to work, but promise me you'll keep some food for me." _Haley__stated._

"We will, let Aunt Karen know that there are some portions here for her. Or we could just bring the meal down to the Café and eat it there."

"I think she would like that."

"And I can make some Guava Applesauce for Lily just in case she doesn't like anything else we make."

"Yea sure, that sounds great. Why don't you send the guys shopping and we'll start gathering ingredients here for what you need. Once the guys get back, we can start the cooking." _Peyton__said._

"That sounds like a good idea. Let me go get my laptop, a pad of paper and a pen so that I can write down where to get all the ingredients. Your going to have to go to at least three different stores to get it all since some of the food is foreign, actually most of the food is foreign."

"Okay and we'll see what kind of music we can put on." _Brooke__said._

"Oh that's also on me. I have six CD binders full of music if you want to go through them and pick one out or I have some music on laptop we can put on."

Recipe List:

6 apples (Granny Smith prefer)

2 gallons of milk

10lbs. sugar

4 red onions

12 garlic cloves (4 large)

4 red bell peppers

4 romaine lettuce

4 cans lima beans

4 cans chick peas

4 cans kidney beans

1 bottle olive oil

6 yellow squash

4 yellow onion

10lbs. whole wheat flour

10lbs. unbleached flour

2 containers baking soda

2 liters club soda

Spatchcock baby chicken (or small sprig chicken, dozen small chickens)

Coarse ground black pepper

10 lemons

Pkg of red chili's

1 bottle dry white wine

4 guavas (4oz)

2 (24oz) jars of chunky applesauce

"And you guys should ask the meat people about the chicken; we're going to need about a dozen small sprig chickens. You should be able to find all the ingredients I have here. The dry white wine should be in the cooking isle and you don't have to be 21 to buy it so you should be good. Just make sure to get a good size bottle so we don't run out."

"Got it, anything else you need us to get?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot about the Guava Applesauce, hang on let me find the recipe really quick…" _I__said__looking__on__my__computer__till__I__found__it_, "Okay so to that list add 4 guavas about 4oz each and 2 (24oz) jars of chucky applesauce. And that should be about it."

"Alright, we'll pool all of our money together and head out, might even have to stop by the Café to get Karen to give some up and maybe mom will give us some as well." _Nathan__said._

"That sounds like a good idea but maybe Lucas should ask Karen about the money and you ask Deb about money. If you tell them it is for recipes then I think they'll give it to you guys." _Peyton__said._

"Yea, who knew we would like cooking so much."

"Especially when it isn't anything American either!" _Mouth__said__as__he__and__the__guys__grabbed__the__list__and__left__the__house._

"I think Mouth has a crush on you Nadia." _Brooke__said._

"Yea right, he barely knows me. And I definitely don't know him very well."

"Yea well he couldn't keep his eyes off of you. So let's see what we can find in the cupboards and listen to music as well shall we." _Peyton__said__as__she__started__to__scrimmage__around__the__cupboards._

"Well we have sugar, olive oil, regular salt," _Brooke__began._

"I think we need to call the guys. I thought Aunt Karen would have coarse salt but if it's only regular then they need to add another ingredient to the list as well as a salt and pepper grinder."

"I'll call Lucas and let them know."

"Thanks Brooke. Hey so, what kind of music do you guys listen to?"

"Mostly hip new stuff; what kind do you listen to?"

"Anything and everything; I have a play list filled with what I think is good action music. Want to listen to that? Granted that there are multiples of a same song cause I like to listen to them multiple times and its just easier to have the same song in there more than once."

"That's fine. How about we start at the end and work our way that way."

"That sounds good enough to me, let me just put it on 'Repeat All' and we should be good."

"So Lucas added the coarse salt and the salt and pepper grinders to the list. Deb ended up giving Nathan about two hundred dollars and instructions to bring her some of the food you make. Karen spared about fifty dollars when Lucas and the guys dropped Haley off at the Café with the same instructions as Deb."

"I keep hearing about Nathan's mom, what of his dad? Is he not in the picture?"

"He's in the picture its just that no one likes him and Nathan really can't stand him so we try not to bring him into the conversation as much as possible. Dan thinks he knows everything-that's Nathan's dad-and well we know that he doesn't know everything so we try not discussing him."

"And Lucas' dad, where is he?"

"Dan is also Lucas' father but Lucas was never allowed to grow up with him so he has chosen to stay away from Dan as much as possible. Just don't let it on that we told you Dan was his dad or he'll get mad at us."

"No problem, I'm good at keeping secrets."

After the talking was done, I sat down for a few minutes and went through the ingredients that we had on the table. Brooke and Peyton had seen the look in my eyes that I normally tried to hide. It was one of tiredness that Lucas normally got when he overdid it. They wanted to ask but were too afraid to get snapped at. I noticed the silence and the stares and brushed it off. They knew that I had just gotten out of the hospital and that my being up as much as I was probably wasn't a good idea.

"So, how's your back?" _Brooke__&__Peyton__asked__together._

"I'm fine guys. I just get tired easily now a days. It's nothing. If I stay sitting down till the guys get back with the list of ingredients I should be fine and we can start cooking. You don't have to be worried about me."

"We can't help it. We're natural worriers. It's in our blood."

"Here I am, talking about what happened to me and you guys yourself have just gotten over a tragedy. I remember hearing about it on the news. My friends had just come into the club and we were getting ready for a class and that's when the news came on. I remember thinking that I had a cousin that lived in Tree Hill and pondered if he was alright. The class was canceled and most people that were in the club just ordered drinks and sat around watching the news. Something like that had happened a few years ago at our own school, only a lot more people got shot then here. I lost one of my best friends that day and was shot myself, but the bullet only grazed my arm. We had been in the gym playing basketball when the men came in. Half of our P.E. class was in the gym when they started firing," _I__had__started__going__off__about__our__shooting__and__was__in__the__middle__of__telling__it__when__Lucas__and__the__guys__got__back,_ "people scattered, screaming. No one knew what to do. We ran, fleeing from the men we didn't know. No on knew why they were shooting at us but it turned out that one of the people shooting had come into the school looking to kill his son. Getting shot back then sucked, especially since the bullet that grazed my arm ended up in my best friend. I didn't know she was dead then. I grabbed her arm, trying to pull her. When I looked over at her, she wasn't moving so I left her. We ran out of the gym and through the halls. Doors had been locked and people were hiding in the classrooms. As we ran through the halls, people we knew were lying in blood. People we knew were trying to get up and I realized that if we didn't help them outside we would be burying them as well. A few people that had been behind me saw me stop and grab up the kids that were injured and they got the idea and we started carrying our friends outside. I don't know if you guys saw it on T.V. but all of LV police were there. With us helping our friends outside and the people inside shooting, someone had managed to get there phone into a classroom-they weren't allowed at the time-and called the cops. Forty-five students and six teachers had been killed, including the kid one of the shooters was looking for. Instead of going to jail, the shooters took there own lives and people wondered what it was all for. I remember looking back after that day and how people just seemed to get over it, as if nothing had happened. I learned later from a friend that had hid in one of the classrooms, that three years prior to my being in the school, the older brother of the kid they were looking for had taken the school hostage, killing ten people, two of them teachers. The school was used to it but me and my friends hadn't been able to get over it. So seeing that it had happened to Tree Hill High, the club shut down for normal business and everyone started to pray. A few of my friends figured we could do some kind of benefit for it and we ended up opening the club that very night, charging people admission. We were going to send it here, but when I got shot and then when Aunt Karen called and said she would take me in, well we just kind of put the money into my bank account and agreed that I would take it out and give it to whoever when I got here."

"Wow, sorry you guys had to go through that but at least you know how we feel. So, how much did the benefit make?" _Skills__asked._

"Over forty thousand dollars; I don't know who I'm supposed to give it to."

_Everyone__'__s__mouths__dropped__open._ "Apparently a lot of people cared about us. That has to be a lot of people to show up to make that much money."

"Well yea, we had gone through what you had gone through so it was only fair. We charged $20 a person, $10 if you were military or a senior (65+)."

"Well that sounds cool. But I don't know who you would give it to. We'd say the Mayor but that's Dan Scott, my father and I highly doubt he'll give the money to people that deserve it. Knowing him, he'll keep it all for himself. No, if I were you, I would hold onto it and put it in a Savings Account and then dish it out that way." _Nathan__said._

"We'll talk to my mom about the money. Maybe she has some ideas on what to do with it. My Uncle Keith was killed that day and Dan owns his dealership. I know a bunch of people that want it to go back to the way it was when Keith was running it. Maybe we can invest the money into that."

"That sounds like a good idea. Like make it into a Memorial and get people you guys know and trust to run the shop."

"I bet we could find some people. Are we going to start cooking or what? I'm starved." _Peyton__said._

"Yea, if you guys want to look at the screen and make the dishes, I'll be right back. I need to get something from my room." _I__left__and__went__into__my__room__to__sit__down__for__a__few__minutes.__I__could__hear__them__talking__in__the__other__room__and__stating__to__make__the__food._

"Lucas, you need to keep an eye on her. We were looking at all the ingredients and it looked like she was trying to hide the fact that she was getting tired. I think she may be used to hiding how she feels but with an injury like hers; you need to look after her. She may want to make this food to feel welcome and all, but she's still tired." _Brooke__said._

"Yea I got the feeling that she wanted to rest for a while. I promise to keep an eye on her while no one else is here. Maybe we can get her to open up to some of the school counselors about her life. I'll make sure mom knows what's going on."

"And make sure she doesn't overdo herself. She's just as fragile as any of us and then some." _Peyton__said._

"Yea I know. Knowing what her mom did though kind of scares me. I'll have to ask my mom if her mom knows that she's here. If she does, we'll have to be extra careful. If not, well we'll still have to be careful cause I'm not about to lose her. Mom and I just got her back."

"Yea I understand. Maybe we can get her to join the Cheer Squad. She said she worked at a teen club, maybe she did some dancing while she was there and if so, she'd make an excellent member of the Squad." _Brooke__said._

"Yea and if she's at the basketball game with you guys, then I can talk to her or watch her." _Mouth__said__as__I__walked__back__in__after__changing__into__a__sweat__suit._

"Feel better?"

"Much now that I'm out of normal clothes. I heard you guys talking. I'm not as fragile as you might think."

"You may not think so, but you still are. When Lucas got out of the hospital after his car accident, he ended back up in the hospital from a fever. We were scared that he would have to stay in the hospital longer then the first time, but it just happened that he overdid himself. His mom got really mad at him but the mad came after the worry." _Mouth__said__leaving__out__the__part__where__he__'__d__broken__up__with__Brooke__to__go__see__Peyton.__The__girls__were__friends__now__so__why__drudge__up__old__feelings.__Peyton__and__Brooke__ignored__the__fact__that__he__had__brought__it__up__because__he__made__a__valid__point._

"Okay, I'll take it easy, but I'm still making the food. I don't want you guys burning it since you have no idea how to make any of it."

"Very well, oh both our moms want some of what we are making so we'll have to set aside portions." _Nathan__said._

"Don't worry. Just call your mom and tell her to meet us the Café. We're taking the food to the Café after were done cooking it so she can meet us there. Besides with the portions I've set out, we'll have enough to feed a small army and then some."

"So we can tell any friends that want to come that dinner's on us tonight?"

"Yes, and we'll make the shakes at the Café so we won't have them melting on us."

"Good idea. That way Haley will at least feel like she helped make the food."

"Yeah."

Talking stopped as the music was turned up and the cooking began. We made the Guava Applesauce first and put it in the fridge so we could move on to the others. Using the chickens the guys had been able to get, we made that dish next and put them in the oven, turning the timer on as we did so. Next came the Injera Bread which would take the longest. It had to rise for an hour and while the bread rose, we made the Squash Soup in a big pot. Once the Soup was done being cooked, we kept it in the pot and put it on a back burner, turning it down low so as not to burn the food.

The music switched to another song and as we pushed the bread into bread pans, Mouth and Skills got started on the Mixed Bean Salad. The beans had to be cooked before we could toss them into the salad so they were put into a pot together and cooked till they were soft. After the beans were done, and all the vegetables were diced, everything was mixed together with the lemon juice, oil and lettuce. The whole meal was done and prepared within two hours. As we packed everything in carrying containers, leaving the soup in the pot and just putting the salad in a big salad bowl, the bread was taken out of the oven and let to cool, then moved to a basket after being removed from the pans that they were cooked in. Ten loafs of bread in all were placed in a picnic basket on top of the salad bowl, applesauce, and chicken. The ingredients for the shakes were packed up in a bag and everything was taken out to Peyton's car.

Peyton, Brooke and I went in Peyton's car with the food and ingredients for the shakes and the guys went in Nathan's car. When everyone got to the Café, the food was unloaded and we all went inside, laughing. The girls seemed to like me and I could tell that they were friendly people. As we entered the Café, I could see Aunt Karen and Haley busy at the counter. Lucas was in lead as we went around the counter and set the food in the kitchen where we would be serving from. As soon as the food was set down, everyone moved to a seat in the corner and sat down. Haley came over and said that people were showing up for the free food.

"So, I hear that not only are some of our friends showing up, but also a whole lot of parents as well. You're going to make the Café busier then ever." _Haley__said._

"Well, I guess people like the idea of free food. So, we figured we would make the shakes here so you could help out since you had to come to work. We brought all the ingredients and my laptop since the recipe is on it. I figured we could put some music on or put a movie on as people ate. Like a dinner and a movie kind of event."

"We don't have any movies here but the music idea sounds good. And I would love to help with the making of the shakes."

"No worries, I brought a selection of movies from my own collection. We can pick through them and figure out which one people want to watch. Even brought a few TV shows on DVD that I can put into my laptop if people don't want to watch a movie."

"Well that sounds great. But I think Karen wants to talk to you and Lucas, she's looking over here. Maybe you guys should go see what she wants huh?"

"We're going. Come on Nadia, mom's got that look on her face from when I was in my car accident."

"Yikes, Coolden used to give me that look when he knew something was up at home and I didn't want to talk about it."

"Yea, I bet he did. Come on, up you go." _Lucas__helped__me__up__off__the__couch__and__we__walked__over__to__where__Aunt__Karen__was__standing__in__the__kitchen.__She__shooed__us__into__the__kitchen__then__turned__towards__us._

"I understand that you are trying to fit in Nadia, but maybe you should do it at home. You just got out of the hospital. I talked to your doctor down there who gave me Coolden's phone number and told me to call him since he couldn't give me any information about you. So when I finally got through to Coolden and asked what orders you had from the doctor he told me that you were supposed to be taking it easy. He also said that despite the job he has lined up for you, he'll fly up here himself and force you to take it easy. Now from what I know of this job, he has a club one town over and he just finished building a club here for teens, so you won't have to get someone to drive you to the next town. And you can work here if you want, once you're totally healed. I also want you taking it easy at school. Haley has mentioned that they'll be looking out for you when you go to school. I don't want anything to happen to you right now okay. And you Lucas, you should know better. Having her make a three-course-meal on her first day here isn't what I had in mind for you getting her settled. Do you understand what I am saying, both of you?"

"Yes mam. But I really didn't want to eat Pizza. Lucas was going to order pizza and I'm sick of eating pizza. I figured we could make food and I like making it anyways."

"I understand that. Just, next time, make sure you didn't just get out of the hospital. Now, since tomorrow is Saturday, we'll head to the bank when it opens and get an account set up for you, checking, and savings, whatever you want. And then maybe see about letting the girls take you shopping for book cases. Haley told me that you needed to get an account set up so I'll help you with that and then you guys can go shopping. Does that sound like a plan?"

"Yes Aunt Karen."

"Now that that's all out of the way, I want to try some of this food that you have prepared. It smells delicious."

"Okay, well don't be surprised if there aren't enough chickens. We only made about a dozen small chickens from the recipe."

"Well, we can substitute them with the roast chicken Haley and I made while you were at the house. Figured you wouldn't have enough so we made enough just in case."

"Oh I made some Guava Applesauce for Lily since she's still young."

"Well thank you. I'm sure she'll like it. Let's go make the announcement then shall we."

Café Dinner:

As people got settled into their seats, Haley, Peyton, Brooke and I made the Apple shakes that would serve as a drink as well as the desert. The bar was turned into a table for the food. Every table held there own bread basket and a projector had been set up, waiting for a movie to be put into my laptop. We had settled on Mighty Joe Young, not only was it kid friendly but also adult friendly.

Once the food was served and I had plugged my laptop into a TV screen big enough for people to watch, I turned the movie on and Lucas and I settled down in the corner of the Café to eat the food we had made. People started eating as the movie started playing. Young kids laughed at seeing the giant gorilla then settled down to eating the food that was set before them. Teens who knew Lucas and his friends ate their food and shakes then came up to us and introduced themselves as people I would be going to school with. There was an old guy that Lucas and Nathan told me was there basketball coach whom everyone called Whitey.

Whitey was a weird name but so was Coolden so who was I to judge. It was weird to see so many people that got along with each other. I never knew this kind of kindness except when I was at school and at work. Being a junior in high school and starting a new school after what happened to both me and Tree Hill High, I felt like a burden again. Nobody understood how much of a burden I was feeling at the moment. I kept a smile plastered on my face and made sure that no one could see my thoughts.

Food had been put into the fridge and kept for another time as the movie came to an end and people started getting up and thanking Karen for a good meal. She told them that it hadn't been her that cooked and was about to introduce them to Nadia when she realized that she had fallen asleep, which at the moment was probably a good idea. She excused herself from the adults and teens that were leaving and went over to Lucas and his friends.

"Lucas, you mind taking Nadia home? And you kids can stay the night if you want. Guess I was right when I told her to take it easy. She's fallen asleep. So Luke how about it?"

"We were just talking about taking her home. Peyton said she'd give us a lift back to the house. Then they were going to head back to there homes and get stuff to sleep over. The girls need to get pajamas and the guys need to do the same as well as probably a sleeping bag. You think you can get her laptop and movies mom?"

"No problem. I'll see you when I get home. Haley can help me clean the rest of the food up and then I'll take her to her house so she can get some stuff to sleep over. There's no need to come over in the morning and your parents should know you're staying over. Deb already knows Nathan is staying, she agreed that it was probably the best for now."

"Okay, well we'll see you later on then mom."

Lucas picked Nadia up from the couch they had been sitting on and left with Brooke and Peyton. Peyton opened the seat and Brooke got into the back where Lucas laid Nadia so that she would be more comfortable then got into the front seat. When they got to the house, Lucas picked Nadia up and gave Brooke the house key then went into the guest room and laid Nadia on her bed, pulling a blanket over her when he was done. He took the house keys from Brooke and said he would see them later when they got back from getting their stuff, then went into the kitchen and cleaned everything up that hadn't already been put away from the cooking earlier. All the groceries had been put away so they wouldn't get bad but there were still some dishes that needed to get done.

Aunt Karen's House:

Not only were Nathan and the rest of his friends staying the night just so they didn't have to come over in the morning, but they were staying for Nadia as well. They had seen her grow really tired during her time at the Café, and they had seen the look in her eyes even though she had tried to hide it. She was feeling like a burden and they wanted to make sure she knew that she wasn't a burden, no matter how they had to prove it. They seemed to understand her more by just being around her and knowing what she had gone through with her mother, they were willing to do anything to keep her safe. Too bad they didn't know how she felt.

When the dishes were done and Karen, Lily and Haley were at the house, Nathan and the others returned with all of there things. Most of them would be sleeping in the living room so not to wake Nadia by sleeping in her room and having her wake up wondering what they were doing there.

Stay Over:

Lucas and his friends got settled for the night and Karen took Lily into her room and put her down for the night as well. Lights were turned out and everyone's eyes closed shortly after their heads hit the pillows. No one was ready for what was going to happen half way through the night, though they should have expected it. Being in a house surrounded by people that cared for her had made Nadia feel safe, but as soon as she was asleep, the nightmares came back full force. She couldn't keep them away and she couldn't keep her screams from escaping her mouth. It was around one in the morning when the first scream woke everyone in the house up and it was Lucas who got up first, making a beeline for Nadia's room.

I was sitting up, looking around the room, not recognizing where I was and thinking I was still in the house my mother lived in. I was having one of the dreams where everything looks real even though its not. Lucas and Aunt Karen were in my room within seconds of my scream ripping from my lips. The others were up and standing in the doorway trying to see what they could do to help. Aunt Karen was holding me trying to get me to calm down and Lucas was sitting on the end of my bed, holding my hand. The look in my eyes told them it was worse than a dream. None of them had heard a scream more pained then when the shooting had happened.

Aunt Karen left the room and made sure Lucas was holding me while she went to get something. When she came back in she was on the phone with someone. She pushed the phone into my hand and to my ear where I heard Coolden's calm voice, telling me that everything was going to be okay, that my mother wasn't going to be able to hurt me ever again. The next this I heard was the barking of my dogs, who had heard the scream through the phone. They calmed me down almost immediatley. Aunt Karen took the phone away and talked to Coolden for a few more minutes before hanging up. Everyone was looking at me and I had tears streaming down my face.

Lucas looked the most worried until Lily crying broke the silence once again. Aunt Karen went to get up but Haley left and grabbed Lily instead. She came back with the little girl in her room, soothing her as she came.

"So, Coolden says that he's on his way up this weekend with your friends and animals. He's driving your vehicle here so you'll be able to use it. And some of your friends wanted to make sure you were okay. After tonight's incident and the fact that the dogs seemed to calm you down, he is bringing them up immediatley. They seem to keep the nightmares away, or at least that is what he said."

"They do. When there is an animal around, I feel safe. And I'm not saying I don't feel safe, but my dogs slept with me in my room and they kept the nightmares away. When I stayed the night at Coolden's one night and woke up screaming, he brought his trustworthy cat into my room and let me sleep with him. I didn't wake up again after that. Every time I slept at Coolden's I slept with his cat. He kept me safe in my dreams."

"I understand. You should have said something about that before and we would have had them sent up before you got here."

"I didn't know if you would allow them here or not, not before I talked to you."

"Alright, then. We'll get some sleep the rest of the night and then in the morning, we'll get everything else done to finish getting you settled. Everyone back to bed now, we'll make something good for breakfast tomorrow after everyone is up."

"Night Aunt Karen and thanks."

"No problem."

"Night Karen, mom."

"Good night everyone. Come on Lily, let's go back to bed shall we."

Did you know: The word pomegranate probably inspired the name for a grenade?


End file.
